It's a treat to go to the movies and it sucks to see a $5 price sticker on a box of candy you can get from Walmart or Dollar Tree for $1.

Some theaters make you feel like you're saving by giving you a large soda and large popcorn combo for $15.

However, Selling snacks and candy is a way to keep the movie theater open annually. Movie Ticket revenue for the first couple weeks go back to the movie studio. Theaters start to make money off a movie after about 3 months.

Hence why the theater in our mall is so cheap.

While ticket revenues are split with the movie studio, the concessions are 100% profit for the theater to pay for the theater equipment, employees, and overhead.